Lorenzo de' Medici, Duke of Urbino

Born in September 1492, Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici inherited the weight of the family name and the machinery of Florentine power. In 1516 he became ruler of Florence and Duke of Urbino, holding both titles until his death three years later. His time at the top was short — he died in May 1519, not yet twenty-seven — but the stakes he left on the table were enormous. His daughter Catherine went on to marry into the French throne, becoming Queen Consort. His illegitimate son Alessandro, recognised and positioned, inherited the estate and became the first Duke of Florence. Two offspring, two crow…